Lunch & Learn Series

Amy is NxtGEN's Digital Marketing Assistant who is involved in creating brand content, and articles and performing general administrative tasks.

Amy first came to us as an intern during her degree and is now working part-time in her final year of Information Communications Studies and Sociology at University College Dublin.

She applies her contemporary knowledge, dedication and lust for learning to her role at NxtGEN. Amy hopes to obtain a master’s degree in Communications in 2024 to further expand her wisdom and expertise.

Gabi Widurek wears more than one hat. She is Brand and Growth Manager at NxtGEN where she contributes to the brand content, teaching curriculum, research, and general daily workings of the Business.

Gabi recently qualified with Master's degree in TESOL from the University College Dublin as a an EFL teacher. She plans to become a language coach. Through her study and professional experience, she developed the expertise and zeal for exploring the Language of Business. Deeply passionate about empowering people, to whom English is not their first language, to speak their minds in any professional situation.

In addition to her Master’s degree Gabi holds a Higher Professional Diploma in Content Writing for Marketing from UCD Professional Academy. She's an ardent yoga practitioner and has been an Ashtanga Yoga Teacher since 2013.

Gabi is a lifelong learner, reader, and a traveller who enjoys spending free time with her family.

Russ is the co-founder and Managing Director of iSpeak, Inc. - An award-winning professional development training company. He is a professional speaker, award- winning international trainer, and published author on Professional Sales Communication and Business Communication. He has gained experience as a sales professional, business development manager, entrepreneur, and senior executive from his career.

Over the past 20 years, he has delivered workshops, keynotes, and personal communication coaching services to business professionals in the U.S. and around the world. Russ has a heart for developing leaders and business professionals so they can enter their next challenging situation with greater confidence, an engaging message, and the ability to inspire and influence. He sees every workshop he delivers as an opportunity to serve and every success story from a student as the real payday.

In 2013 Russ co-authored “Corporate Ovations: Your Roadmap to More Effective Presentations” In, 2009 he received the Gold Stevie Award - Best Sales Trainer, and in 2003 he published “Cut the C.R.A.P. and Make the Sale”.

Russ and Paul have been collaborating since 2009 on designing, co-facilitating, and delivering multiple Corporate Communications Skills training initiatives globally for multinational clients such as U.C.C. Academy, Dell, Microsoft, Vodafone, Ornua, Virgin Media, to name but a few.

Steven’s passion is helping people achieve their goals and dreams. He has over 20 years of experience in building long-term relationships, particularly at C-Suite level, and has led high performance teams with telecoms/technology industry.

Steven is also an energetic and results driven Sales Leader with an exceptional track record in the Corporate, SMB, and consumer segments. He has worked in various sales and sales leadership roles withing technology and telecoms multinationals.

Clients will appreciate his enjoyment of teaching, clear tone and his passion for technology. He will devotedly discuss the impact of digital transformation with business leaders across the Enterprise and Public sector segments.

His collaboration with NxtGEN began in 2017. He is a qualified Business and Executive Coach and holds a MSc in Leadership from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. Steven also volunteers his time on a weekly basis to coach and mentor young people in the areas of sport and career development.

Since 1993, Cynthia Oelkers has been giving keynotes on technical topics (such as telephony and B2B website integration) and communication skills to audiences from CEOs of Fortune 100 companies to college students as an instructor at St. Edward’s and LeTourneau Universities. Fourteen years in the high-tech environment is enough to make anyone long for laughter.

Since 1999, Cynthia has performed improv comedy for The National Comedy Theatre (formerly ComedySportz), In The Moment, and Girls, Girls, Girls! in Austin while working to help Dell, Inc. become an e-business.
She is a professional public speaker and has led management training in the corporate and higher-education sectors for over nineteen years. She combines her work as an improv comedian, researcher, and businesswoman to create keynote experiences that are insightful, relevant, and fun.

Cynthia holds a Master’s degree in Interpersonal Communication from The University of Texas at Austin and teaches Presentational Speaking at St. Edward’s and Business Communication at LeTourneau Universities. Along with her 16 years of professional speaking experience, Cynthia is the co-author of workbooks titled Team Productivity, Leading without Losing It, Business Writing, and Conflict Management.

Based in Dublin, Ireland, Paul A. Slattery is one of only five Certified Master Instructors (iCMI) for iSpeak and the only one in Europe. Paul is an Expert Facilitator in University College Dublin (UCD) Smurfit Graduate Business School, where he delivers a unique team-based presentations skills class to the MBA Students on the Leadership Development Programme. He is also Programme Director with UCD Smurfit Executive Development, where he delivers the Communication and Executive Presence short programme. Today Paul is a Fellow of the Sales Institute of Ireland, the Institute of Directors in Ireland and the Irish Institute of Training and Development.

Paul’s career started as a CATV engineer and project manager however he has gained an impeccable sales record over the past twenty-five years of strategic sales, business development and management experience Internationally. Holding position at Account Executive, Account Director, Global Account Director, Regional Sales Director and Country Manager within the technology sector. He has successfully fronted two international telecom entrants in the Irish market in the past fifteen years.

Paul has been running his own successful business in Ireland since March 2004. Providing executive educational services, executive mentoring and coaching, management training workshops, as well as motivational seminars and keynote speeches internationally. His professional qualification include: IBAT Dip in Psychology, IBAT College Dublin, Successful Case Teaching Accredited by The Case Centre, Cranfield University, UK, iSpeak Certified Master Instructor Accredited by iSpeak, Austin, Tx, USA, DIT Diploma in Management Accredited by The Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) in Ireland, SII/ICM Diploma in Sales Coaching Accredited by The Sales Institute of Ireland and Institute of Commercial Management (UK) and Certificate in Training and Development Accredited by Irish Institute of Training and Development.

John is a passionate Business Coach with a particular interest in Communications Skills Training, Personal Development and Sales Skills. As a business coach and strategist, he helps executives and professionals to make breakthroughs that take them to the next level. In addition to that, John has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur owning and running a business.

His expertise lies in his communications skills and his passion for helping others to get from where they are to where they want to be. His work experience in Sales and Business Development in multinational and national sales organisations and entrepreneurship have given him the breadth of knowledge needed to pursue his passion for coaching executives and professionals. While working in the industry, he sold and negotiated high-profile contracts for a technology multinational for major national projects. Moreover, by running his own business and negotiating many multi-year services contracts, John gained a more thorough understanding of liaising with stakeholders and decision-makers. For the past 17 years, he has continuously sold and negotiated services in the Irish market to various sectors. His invaluable experience and his unique training methods mean John actively helps teams maximise their potential.

John’s collaboration with NxtGEN began back in 2014. He holds a Professional Practice Certificate in Training and Development from the Irish Institute of Training and Development. In 2021 John was awarded a Higher Education Teaching Certificate from Harvard BOK (The Derek Bok Centre for Teaching and Learning), a green belt in Lean Six Sigma from University College Cork, and a certified Life Coach. He combines his work as an entrepreneur, business coach, and a weekend radio presenter at Limerick City Community Radio to create a unique teaching style and memorable learning experiences.

Ilaria lives and works to help people tell their stories. She specialises in Business Communications, Negotiation Techniques, and Professional Development Strategies. She has over 15 years of experience working in multicultural environments. During the past eight years, she’s been teaching training programmes and offering coaching services across a variety of industries in Ireland and abroad.

With a background in Law, she started her career in the corporate Financial Services sector, and since 2015 she has been collaborating with NxtGEN Executive Presence. Ilaria teaches Business Communications courses at the International School of Business (ISB) and Dublin Business School (DBS) and delivers Business Communications, Applied Negotiation Skills, and Professional Development Modules (QQI, Level 8) at ICD Business School, Dublin.

Her approach is structured and action-focused to build the competence and the confidence to influence diverse audiences through consistency and credibility. In addition, Ilaria uses Emotional Intelligence concepts to support improved self- awareness and effective business communications across different channels.

Her professional qualifications include a Master’s Degree in Law (University of Studies of Genoa); Higher Diploma in Business (DBS); Certified Master Coach Practitioner (PSG); Qualified Trainer (IITD); iCPI – iSpeak Certified Professional Instructor (iSpeak Inc). She considers herself a lifelong learner and looks forward to working on new projects. Ilaria has co-facilitated the following projects with NxtGEN: Sales Discovery - Vhi Healthcare, Device Atlas, Vodafone, UCC Academy. In addition, her coaching and content customisation are instrumental in delivering Tools For Influencing, Influence and Negotiation Skills at UCC Academy plus Presenting4Success for UCD Smurfit, UCD CEMS, and Microsoft Ireland, to name a few.